The quality and quantity of water available concerns citizens throughout the West. Whether you are concerned about how and when to water your home garden and landscape, or a large commercial enterprise making water use decisions, you’ll find Extension resources to help answer questions. Topic areas include Home & Garden and Irrigation.

Resources

• Water Quality Interpretation Tool – Enter your water test lab results and get information that will help you figure out what it all means.

CSU Extension has several publications for the Colorado gardener. Topics in this section include: Home & Garden and Irrigation.

• Home & Garden
• Irrigation

Home & Garden

• Addressing the Impacts of Wildfire on Water Resources (12/14)
• Bacteria in Water Wells (10/13)
• Domestic Water Quality Criteria (11/13)
• Drinking water quality and health (3/10)
• Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens (7/14)
• Emergency Water Supplies and Treatment (12/14)
• Glossary of Water Terminology (5/12)
• Homeowner’s Guide to Houseold Water Conservation (7/18)
• Homeowner’s Guide to Protecting Water Quality & the Environment (7/18)
• Home Sprinkler Systems: Backflow Prevention Devices (10/14)
• Home Sprinkler Systems: Operating and Maintaining (7/14)
• Home Sprinkler Systems: Preparing Your Sprinkler System for Winter (10/14)
• Nitrates in Drinking Water (11/13)
• Private Wells for Home Use (12/13)
• Protecting Your Private Well
• Rainwater Collection in Colorado (4/16)
• Selecting an Analytical Laboratory (11/13)
• Water Conservation In and Around the Home (10/14)
• Watering a Home Landscape During Drought (4/13)
• Watering in Fall and Winter (3/13)

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Irrigation

• Agricultural Hydropower Generation: On-Farm (3/17)
• Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (CoAgMet) and Crop ET Reports (12/14)
• Crop Water Use and Growth Stages (12/14)
• Effects of Weather on Irrigation Requirements (3/09)
• Irrigation Ditches and their Operation (12/14)
• Irrigation: Inspecting and Correcting Turf Irrigation System Problems (10/14)
• Irrigation Pumping Plant Efficiency (9/11)
• Irrigation Scheduling (2/05)
• Irrigation Scheduling: The Water-Balance Approach (1/15)
• Irrigation Water Quality Criteria (10/14)
• Limited Irrigation Management:Principles and Practices (1/09)
• Micro Sprinkler Irrigation for Orchards (1/09)
• Nitrogen and Irrigation Management (10/14)
• Seasonal Water Needs and Opportunities for Limited Irrigation for Colorado Crops (2/17)
• Small Acreage Irrigation Guide
• Solar-powered Groundwater Pumping Systems (8/12)
• Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) (8/14)

News

• Colorado River peaks early this year, is at record low levels
  The Denver Channel

Hot Topics

Nitrates in Drinking Water Nitrate is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless compound that is present in some groundwater in Colorado. Learn more

Effects of Weather on Irrigation Requirements Variability in evapotranspiration demand and precipitation causes irrigation requirements to change from year to year. Learn more

Irrigation Ditches and their Operation Ditch companies have the right to enter your property to maintain the ditch and ditch banks and perform “reasonably necessary” operations. Learn more

Water Feature Programs

Water and Weather Become a volunteer weather watcher–collect data about storms & precipitation around Colorado. Learn more

Colorado Water Center Resource about water, state agencies that develop water policies, and water-related agencies. Learn more

CSU-affiliated sites

• Agricultural Water Conservation Clearinghouse
• CoAgMet – ET rates, crop information, impact of climate on crops
• Colorado Climate Center
• Colorado Water Center
• Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network
• Drought Resources
• Extension Water Quality Programs
• Fire Resources
• Flood Resources
  • Flood Recovery Resources for Agents
• Irrigation Assessment Tools
• Water Resources Archive

External sites

• Colorado Division of Emergency Management
• Colorado Division of Water Resources
  • Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI)
• Colorado Water Conservation Board
  • Flood & Water Availability Task Force
• Colorado Foundation for Water Education
• Colorado Water Newsletter
• Denver Water
• High Plains Regional Climate Center
• Intermountain West Climate Summary
• National Rain Barrel Program
• National Weather Service – U.S. Soil Moisture Monitoring
• Natural Resources Conservation Services
  • Conservation Programs
  • Water Supply Forecasting
  • National Water & Climate Center
• Southwest Colorado Water Information
• USGS – Water Resources of the United States
  • Current Water Data for Colorado
• Western Water Assessment